Let me protect
by Bunnirabbit
Summary: Scott really had meant to cast off his old life, but he finds his new one boring and all he can think about is Mike Waters. So, how is he supposed to ignore a phone call from a hospital several states away telling him that the love of his life is severely dehydrated and malnourished and the only thing he had in his pocket was Scott's phone number. T for swearing
1. Chapter 1

A/N: I just watched this movie and I just can't deal with the way it ended, so I just had to write something sweet to make me feel better.

Disclaimer: If I owned MOPI Scott and Mike would be living life together, happily ever after.

Scott really had meant to cast away his old life, but how could he ignore it when he got a call from a hospital several states away asking if he happened to know a Mike Waters. The call had gone something like this:

"Hello, do you know a Mike Waters?"

"…Yes"

"Well, we have him in our emergency room, he's severely malnourished and dehydrated. This number was the only thing in his pocket."

"The only thing?"

"Yes."

"Ok, I'll be there as soon as I can. Tell him I'm coming."

How could he ignore that? Scott hangs up and runs his fingers through his hair. For a moment he wonders if Mike will recognize him, with his slicked back hair, and sharp suits, but the idea is too absurd, and he almost laughs at himself. Of course Mike will recognize him. You don't forget the face the person you're in fucking love with. Yeah, Scott still remembers that. He remembers that night with perfect clarity. He remembers the way the fire flickered in the Mike's eyes and how warm Mike's body was against his. The memory is more clear than any other, even his childhood, his first john, his time with Carmella, it all pales in comparison to that one night with Mike.

Scott runs his hand through his hair again as he stands up. He walks down the stairs of his father's, no, now it was his, mansion. He grabbed the keys to one of the numerous cars he had inherited and ran to the car. The shock of the phone call had worn off and now the only thing on his mind was getting to Mike. Fast. He wasn't sure exactly why he had decided to take a car when he had to cross state lines, but it would give him time to think. Time to think about what to say to Mike. Even just thinking about what he did to Mike made him want to go offer his body up to Bob. Everything reminded him of Mike, that's probably one of the reasons he and Carmella hadn't worked out.

Even Carmella reminded him of Mike. Honestly, he felt bad about what he did, telling her he loved her, bringing her to his own country, expecting her to put up with him, and using her to convince himself he wasn't in love with a man. It had taken Scott months to even begin to try and except the fact that maybe his bi-sexuality extended beyond just fucking, and even now, he still wasn't quite sure of much. The only thing he knew for sure was that no one could compare to Mike. Even now, as he sped down the freeway all he could think about was Mike. If a car swerved into his lane, he wasn't sure if he would actually notice it.

It was hard to think about Mike, but Scott would much rather deal with the pain than not think about Mike at all. Thinking about Mike wasn't what gave him pain though. Mike made Scott happy. The thing that brought Scott pain was the way he had treated Mike. Mike deserved so much better, Mike deserved someone who would always love him, protect him, make sure nothing bad happened to him when he fell unconscious. Mike deserved someone who could make him happy, and Scott had been to stupid to realized that that person had always been him. At first it was because he was so caught up in the notion that two men couldn't be in love, then it was because he was to caught up in Carmella and being the prodigal son, but now Scott Favor wasn't caught up in anything. Carmella had left him, as had his father, and he found business annoyingly easy. He could make any deal and manipulate anyone. The only thing that had posed even the slightest distraction was paper work and that was only because there was so much of it.

Scott was ready now, he realized driving down the high way in the middle of the night, to make it right. He was ready to make it all up to Mike, if the other would let him. He loved Mike, and he hoped that Mike would still love him. But even as Scott thought about this, he remembered the way Mike had looked the last time he'd seen the blond. Mike looked like he was ready to move on, to give up trying to chase Scott. Scott thought about how little he deserved Mike's love because Mike was somehow pure to Scott. Mike was different from other kids, little things like bubble baths, could make him happier than a john paying him a hundred bucks for a kiss on the cheek. Mike wasn't caught up in the get rich schemes that the rest of the world seemed to be a part of. Mike was special, a special person who deserved so much better than a life of heartbreak and prostitution. And Scott could give that to him. Just knowing that he had that ability now made Scott want to dance, but he was quickly brought back to reality. Mike had no obligation, no reason to still love Scott, and Mike was sick. Really sick, and now it wasn't just the narcolepsy that Scott was used to. It was malnourishment and dehydration, and Scott was pretty sure you could die from those things. Why hadn't he asked the nurse how Mike was doing?

As the night turned into dawn, Scott got progressively more nervous. He couldn't keep his worries in check, couldn't stop thinking about the way he'd let Mike down, the way Mike looked when he was happy and the way Scott had crushed that look from his face. By the time he can see the hospital, Scott is wondering if this was a good idea, but as he thinks of leaving, the memory of the previous nights phone call appears in his head.

_"Well, we have him in our emergency room, he's severely malnourished and dehydrated. This number was the only thing in his pocket."_

_"The only thing?"_

_"Yes."_

Mike had no money, probably no place to stay, and much less than enough food. He couldn't leave, Mike needed someone, and hopefully the blond would let that someone be him. Even if Mike no longer loved Scott, hopefully he would accept Scott's help as a platonic gesture at least.

Scott spent a few moments deciding where to park his car. He wasn't bringing someone to the ER, so he didn't think that was the right lot, but he wasn't visiting a longtime resident of the hospital, as far as he knew. Eventually he settled on the visitors' lot, telling himself to stop stalling. Be confident, be someone Mike can rely on, Scott says to himself as he takes a deep breath. He pushs open the car door and steps out into the now sunny day. Last night, when he'd gotten the phone call from the hospital, he'd been at home all day and he'd been wearing old casual clothes, on a whim. He's glad for it now, because it means that his fears of not being recognized are even more irrational. It's just a little sliver of consolation, but somehow, it makes Scott feel better, it gives him the confidence to take the steps through the parking lot and to push open the door to the hospital. By the time he's standing at the front desk, it's not just that one little sliver of confidence any more, it's something more, it's those years of friendship, it's those times when they kissed or did something more and Mike wanted to say 'I love you' but Scott was too stupid to let anything happen, it's the time apart when all he could think of was Mike.

"Ma'm, I'm looking for a Mike Waters?" Scott asks, pressing his chest against the desk, leaning forward on his hands, jittery. It almost feels like he's back on drugs, which reminds him of Mike again. He really hopes that Mike's been clean for at least a little while because even if Mike is hurt, Scott's pretty sure they'll arrest Mike for being on drugs.

"And who are you?" the nurse asks looking up with a hard stare. He guesses that he doesn't look to good, having been driving for the entire night and quite a bit of the day, but he needs to see Mike now.

"I'm the guy who's phone number he had in his pocket," Scott snaps. The only thing on Scott's mind right now is finding Scott. All he wants to do is hold Mike and tell him he loves him, beg for forgiveness, and hold Mike some more. The nurse sighs and gives him a slip of paper with a floor number and room number on it.

"You can't take him home yet, but he can have visitors. The doctor will tell you more details when you get there."

Scott smiles bigger than he has in months and thanks the nurse with a wave as he bounds off down the hallway.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N just picking up from last time… I know that Scott is kinda still a douche, but I don't think he'd suddenly become this nice guy that understands his mistakes. He still thinks about himself a lot. Sorry for the possible OOC.

Scott rushed down the hallway. He wanted, no he need, to see Mike. It annoyed him that he couldn't bring Mike home yet, but Scott would just stay at the hospital until he could. He jogged to the elevator and pressed the call button. Scott bounced on the balls of his feet, jittery with anticipation. He and Mike could go back, to his home, it would be a road trip, a happier version of the first one they took. The thought of their first road trip brought Scott crashing back down to reality. Mike might not even want him. Mike might hate him. Mike might decided that he would rather never see Scott again. But even with this thought in mind, Scott couldn't quell his feelings. The elevator door opened and Scott entered. In it, there was a tired but cheerful looking woman, who Scott immediately disliked. She was to cheerful, in a fake kind of way, and she began speaking to him almost instantly.

"Hello there young man, how are you doing?" she questioned. Scott gave a quick nod in her direction. He didn't want any distractions right now. He was moments away from the love of his life, and he needed to think about how to re-woo said man.

"What are you doing here today? A healthy looking young man like, you I'll bet you're here to visit someone," the woman persisted with a cheerful smile. "I'm visiting someone too," she continued.

"Yes, ma'm, that's right," Scott said quickly, looking up at the floor numbers the elevator was rising past.

"Ohh, well you seem mighty excited! Is it a birth?" Scott looked over at the woman. She just wouldn't leave him in peace.

"Actually no, the boy who's heart I broke is here because he's severely malnourished and dehydrated and I'm here because I need to tell him that I'm in love with him," Scott answered in a complete deadpan.

"Oh-Oh my," the woman stuttered. Thankfully, the elevator arrived at Mike's floor and Scott left the metal box and the stunned woman to their own business. He walked down the hall carefully, though he didn't know why. No one was watching him, not here. Here, no one knew who he was. He wasn't Scott Favor, here was just a guy. And right now that guy had to prove that Scott Favor wasn't so bad. Scott came to Mike's room. He took a deep breath, and pushed open the door. Right now knocking and maybe not getting answer would be enough to have Scott running all the way home without even seeing Mike. But no, he told himself, he can't do that. This is his chance. His chance to start making up for the fucked up way he'd kept Mike with him all those years. No more pretending, no more fooling himself. This was what he wanted, no, this was what he needed, and was going to be selfish and take it.

Mike was the only person in the room. The blond boy was lying on his bed, head leaning to one side, but not asleep. Mike was thin. He'd always been thin, but right now, he was barely more than a skeleton. It was equal parts repulsive and beautiful to Scott. He felt as if he could practically read Mike's story right off him, all his pain, hurt, happiness, all of it was splayed out before him, and all Scott could think was how badly he'd fucked up. "Mike," he whispered, voice coming out almost reverent, even though the only god Scott Favor had ever worshiped was himself. Right now though, Scott felt like he could make an exception. Right now Scott could get down on his knees and worship Mike, not in the dirty way (but he could do that to). Scott doubts that would really help though. Mike never wanted to be treated lie a god, no that was really Scott's area of expertise, all Mike had ever wanted was for someone to treat him good, and now Scott wanted to be that someone. "Mikey" he said again, trying to convey all that into the one word.

Mike turns his head, and for a moment, Scott feels suspended in time. The only thing in the world moving right now is Mike, and Scott can't believe that he was stupid enough to let someone who made him feel this way slip through his fingers. And then time exists again and Scott is by Mike's bed side, with Mike's warm tears bleeding through Scott's shirt. "Mike Waters, I love you," Scott whispers into the shaking boy's ear. and almost shockingly Mike whispers back.

"What the fuck am I supposed to do?" the blond questions, "Because I still love you."

"Mike, I was an ass. Please let fix it. Please let me fix you,"

and suddenly Mike's too thin, trembling body is relaxed in his arms. Scott turns his head and he's staring into Mike's eyes. He doesn't need to take in their colors because he's already memorized every physical detail of Mike Waters. Instead Scott looks at the emotions in Mike's face. Mike had always been the type of person whose emotions showed on their face, and Scott took advantage of that. He saw the want in Mike's eyes, he saw the fear in his forehead, but most importantly he saw the smile on Mike's lips. The smile that said this was what Mike wanted. Mike wanted Scott, and not just in the sexual sense. He wanted Scott to hold his hand and help him sign papers he didn't understand. He wanted Scott to whisper in his ear and help him through his narcolepsy attacks. Scott leaned forward pressing his forehead against Mikes for a moment, letting the tips of their noses rub together. Then he leaned over to whisper in Mike's ear: "When we get back, I'll take you on an honest to god date."

A/N: thanks for reading! review if you like it. I think this is the end, but I might give it a cute epilogue if I feel like it. Also, while I writing the part where Scott asks Mike to let him fix him, Black Flags fix me came on. Illuminati confirmed.


End file.
